NEW YORK, March 4. /TASS/. Ukraine aims to increase natural gas imports to secure sufficient fuel supplies for the upcoming heating season, Bloomberg reported, citing an unnamed Ukrainian official.
According to the source, Ukraine would need to import approximately 3.5 bln cubic meters of gas to meet domestic demand. However, the actual volume of imports could vary depending on market conditions, the official noted.
Bloomberg analysts warned that Kiev’s import strategy may exert additional pressure on Europe’s already fragile energy market, potentially exacerbating supply volatility.
Previously, Ukrainian consultancy firm ExPro Consulting reported that in February, Ukraine increased gas imports 12-fold, marking the highest monthly intake in the past 1,5 years.
At the end of February, Naftogaz of Ukraine acknowledged the challenging situation caused by damage to domestic production facilities.
Earlier this year, Ukrainian authorities halted the transit of Russian gas, increasing the country’s reliance on technical gas to maintain pipeline pressure. As a result, Kiev is now forced to buy fuel at significantly higher prices. Since late January, Naftogaz has been ramping up gas imports, steadily increasing purchasing volumes. On February 5, Ukraine’s gas storage facilities were only 10% full, marking a record low in recent years.